From ACCESS to WISeR: A physician’s guide to Medicare’s newest payment models

Calendar year 2025 ended with no lack of health policy news, including new payment models for Medicare.

Last year, President Donald J. Trump tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy promised bold new approaches to improve the health of individuals in the U.S. Plans include new payment models, some starting in 2026 and others coming online in 2027.

In 2025, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center updated its strategic direction to help individuals in the U.S. build healthier lives with a three-pronged approach:

• Promote evidence-based prevention.
• Empower people to achieve their health goals.
• Drive choice and competition.

Its foundational principle is to protect federal taxpayers in all models and activities. How will that translate to payment models that affect the care and treatments that physicians provide to patients?

This slideshow outlines 10 new payment models announced or developed in 2025. Details come from CMS, its Innovation Center, and other online sources. Additional information is available on the CMS Innovation Center website.